Nearly 200 people from various parts of the country gathered in Chandigarh on Sunday to protest against the government’s apathy towards Shaheed Bhagat Singh, after it failed to give martyr status to the youth icon.

Representatives of more than two dozen organisations connected to the martyr demonstrated at a religious shrine in Sector 29, Chandigarh, and passed a resolution against the authorities' lackadaisical attitude towards Bhagat Singh.

Carrying the Tricolour, placards, and banners, the protesters shouted slogans against the government and appealed to the authorities to acknowledge the contribution of the young martyr, who was sent to the gallows at 23.

Around 200 people from various parts of the country took to the streets in Chandigarh to protest against the Centre

The protesters were demanding the naming of the recently inaugurated Chandigarh International Airport after the martyr.

They said the Airport Authority of India (AAI) had insulted the martyr by not naming the airport after him even after the resolution was passed by the Punjab Assembly in 2009.

They have also demanded a martyr’s status for Bhagat Singh, besides demanding the declassification of documents related to him.

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“Representatives of nearly 30 organisations participated in the protest here today (Sunday) and demanded the renaming of Chandigarh Airport as Shaheed Bhaghat Singh International Airport.

"We have also requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to declassify the documents pertaining to Bhagat Singh and his brother so that people know the truth which stays hidden even today. He should also be given the status of a martyr which is still pending,” Bhagat Singh’s nephew Abhay Singh Sandhu said.

Irked by the airport authority’s decision to drop martyr Shaheed Bhaghat Singh’s name from the recently inaugurated international airport terminal’s name, the Bhagat Singh followers organised a protest march from Sector 29 gurdwara to the Tribune Chowk.

They even installed a signboard.

“Not naming the airport after the martyr is an insult to him besides the Punjab Assembly, which had passed a resolution to this effect in 2009,” Rajiv Kumar Johny, one of the protesters said.

Patiala MP and rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Dharamvir Gandhi also took part in the protest.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the international terminal of Chandigarh Airport on September 11.

The Airport Authority of India had dropped the martyr’s name at the last minute reportedly to avoid controversy.

The Punjab government had been demanding that the airport be named ‘Shaheed-e- Azam Sardar Shaheed Bhagat Singh International airport, Mohali’.

However, the Haryana government had objected to the word ‘Mohali’ and insisted on keeping its name after Chandigarh, though the state government had maintained that it had no objection over the use of Bhagat Singh’s name.